Nani’s sheer khurma or milk pudding with vermicelli

During the Eid celebrations, my grandmother always had a large bowl of sheer khurma ready, and I would sneak into the kitchen and have a bowl even before the meal. It has always been my favourite, especially her nuanced recipe. My mother made it today, and I always look forward to enjoying this dessert.

Sheer khurma is a Persian dessert that originated along the Silk Road and became popular in Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The name comes from the Persian words sheer, which means "milk," and khurma, which means "dates." As it travelled across Asia, sheer khurma became a popular delicacy for celebrating holidays and special events. It's especially popular during Eid al-Fitr and Ramadan when dates are often eaten to break the fast because of their significance in the life of Prophet Muhammad. 

This recipe is wonderful. The milk is thick and creamy and loaded with soft, thin vermicelli. The dessert is loaded with nuts, pistachios, almonds, and charoli, adding a chewiness and nutty flavour. The saffron and hint of cardamom complete this lovely dessert. This version differs from the commercial version in that it is rich and loaded with saffron and nuts. It is always present on the family table for Eid and other religious festivals, and I wish it were present more often.

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Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups full-fat milk

A generous pinch of saffron

3/4-1 teaspoon ground green cardamom

1 cup sugar

3 oz. fine vermicelli

3 tablespoons ghee

1/e cup pistachios

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cups charoli

1/4 cup dried Indian dates, soaked in 1 cup water overnight

4 cups water

Add the milk, saffron, and sugar to a small pot and bring to a boil. Be careful not to let the milk boil over. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the milk has thickened and the saffron has scented it to a pale yellow. Taste for sugar and adjust as needed.

Add the water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Blanch the pistachios for 2 minutes, and drain, saving the hot water. Repeat with the almonds and charoli nuts. Slip off the skins from the almonds. The easiest way to do this for the pistachios and charoli nuts is to add them in a layer between two pieces of kitchen paper and rub them gently; the skins will peel off easily. Slice all the nuts and set aside.

Cook the dates for 3-4 minutes until very soft. Drain and cut into small slices.

Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee on a large frying pan on very low heat. Add 1/4 of the vermicelli to the pan and cook on very low heat until the vermicelli is fried or dark brown. Be careful not to burn the noodles; it is very easy to do so. Remove and drain them on paper towels. Add another teaspoon of ghee and repeat with another portion of the vermicelli until it is all over. Set aside.

Add 2 teaspoons of ghee and fry the nuts for 1-2 minutes until they are lightly golden. Drain on paper towels. Add the remaining ghee and fry the dates till golden. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Your milk should be ready by now. Add the vermicelli, nuts, and dates to the milk and cook for 5 minutes. Taste the vermicelli; it should be soft and cooked through. Take the dessert off the stove. If the milk is too thick, add a touch more to get the consistency of light cream.

You can serve this dessert either cold or slightly warm, depending on your preferences.